Improvement in tobacco-harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

HORACE JANES, OF KNOBNOSTER, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOBACCO-HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194,601, dated August 28, 1877; application filed July 9, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORAGE JANES, of Knobnoster, in the county of Johnson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Tobacco-Gutter, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a front view.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

The object of my invention is to provide an instrument for splitting and cutting tobaccostalks at one operation.

In the drawing, A is the shank of the instrument, to the upper end of which a handle, b, is attached at right angles. A chisel, B, is pivoted or swiveled to the lower end of the shank A, and a right-angled lever, G, is pivoted between ears 0, that project from the side of the shank. To this lever a knife, D, is attached, which projects through a mortise in the shank A a short distance above the chisel B. A spring, d, is attached to the lever O, and bears against the shank A with sufficientforce to project the knife D through the mortise in the shank A, and to turn the chisel B on its pivot.

An ear, e, is formed on the chisel B, with which a curved rod, f, is connected, which passes through an ear, g, on the lower end of the lever G. The ear 9 slides freely on the rod f, and the rod is bent so that it is engaged by the car at each end of the stroke of the lever G. The cutting-edge of the chisel B is concaved, and beveled wholly from one side.

The manner of using the instrument is as follows: The handle 11 and the short arm of the lever O are grasped by the hand, and the knife D is forced downward through the stalk, splitting it as far as may be desired. The edge of the chisel B stands in the same direction as the knife, and does not interfere with the leaf. After the stalk is split the knife is withdrawn by closing the short end of the lever O and the handle b together, which operation also turns the chisel B a quarter of a revolution, bringing it into position to cut 0E the stalk. By an endwise movement of the chisel the stalk is easily severed.

When the lever G is released the spring 01 returns the parts to the normal position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut-- The shank A, having the handle I), the chisel B, lever O, knife D, curved rod f, and spring 01, in combination substantially as shown and described.

HORACE JANES.

Witnesses:

ALoNzo CASE,

BENJ. R. ToMPKINs. 

